Somebody please help me :(

DawnW

rogue999 wrote: »

Could you drop in on parents, siblings, friends just before dinner time and perhaps they'd offer for you to stay to tea - very cheeky i know but maybe worth a shot if you're desperate. Perhaps nip round returning something you've borrowed or a book you think they might like (from your bookshelf not a new one).
Nip into any local supermarkets just before closing for any very cheap yellow stickered items.

Or could you not just ask them to help you out? I would want my children / siblings / friends to let me help!

Sazzie23

[Deleted User] So, I've owned up to my debts. 10k. I'm 25 years old. I have less than £1 to live off for the next 15 days.

I've spent 2 hours on my laptop this morning. I've completed the budget tools and desperately tried to get through to one of the debt counsellors to get some help. I keep getting disconnected or sent 'self-help' guides. Useless - I can't do this on my own. I'm overwhelmed, confused and feel like running away! I've suffered from depression for a number of years. I don't know where to start. I've applied for a new bank account.

It feels too difficult to face this. I feel very alone and unsure of my options. Any support available here??

Hi [Deleted User]

Sorry to hear about the debt crisi you are facing, but well done for posting here. I'm hoping you managed to connect with someone yesterday to get some help, the suggestions above are great (I think I'd give the pay day loan a miss though).
Debt is challenging, confronting and overwhelming like you say.

Practical short term solutions, sell things, any vouchers from Christmas you have stashed ? Search every pocket, bag and behind the sofa for small change, you can live reasonably easily (though not well) on £5. If you have kids, I'd bite the bullet and go to a food bank though.

Supermarket own brand crackers at 29p will suffice for a few meals, cheap cereals or toast, own brand peach slices about 39p will last another couple of meals, so you last £1 can eek out a couple of days. Look at everything in your fridge and freezer, if are lucky enough to have a ready meal in there, eek it out with cheap beans, extra rice (you have to make it though) or spuds. I get three servings from my ready meals, reduces the cost per meal and increases my veg count as I pad them out with tinned toms, finely sliced carrots and or beans.

Now work on the debts, why is money so tight? Do you have lots of bills that are unaffordable, a low income or just a bit of a spending blip?
Get the budget on here like the others have suggested, best to explain your circumstances so that we can give you appropriate help. Don't forget MIND and others have produced the self help guide, you need to be in the right frame of mind (excuse the pun) to use it, but when you can take a breath and read it, it might help open up some suggestions.

Come back here and we'll help

NewcastlePaul

Hi [Deleted User]

Sorry to hear about the debt crisi you are facing, but well done for posting here. I'm hoping you managed to connect with someone yesterday to get some help, the suggestions above are great (I think I'd give the pay day loan a miss though).
Debt is challenging, confronting and overwhelming like you say.

Practical short term solutions, sell things, any vouchers from Christmas you have stashed ? Search every pocket, bag and behind the sofa for small change, you can live reasonably easily (though not well) on £5. If you have kids, I'd bite the bullet and go to a food bank though.

Supermarket own brand crackers at 29p will suffice for a few meals, cheap cereals or toast, own brand peach slices about 39p will last another couple of meals, so you last £1 can eek out a couple of days. Look at everything in your fridge and freezer, if are lucky enough to have a ready meal in there, eek it out with cheap beans, extra rice (you have to make it though) or spuds. I get three servings from my ready meals, reduces the cost per meal and increases my veg count as I pad them out with tinned toms, finely sliced carrots and or beans.

Now work on the debts, why is money so tight? Do you have lots of bills that are unaffordable, a low income or just a bit of a spending blip?
Get the budget on here like the others have suggested, best to explain your circumstances so that we can give you appropriate help. Don't forget MIND and others have produced the self help guide, you need to be in the right frame of mind (excuse the pun) to use it, but when you can take a breath and read it, it might help open up some suggestions.

Come back here and we'll help

Great advice there and not much more to add apart from contact National Debtline or Stepchange and talk to someone. It does make it easier.

Re shopping tips above. If you have a local supermarket go last thing at night. You would be amazed at how much thinks are marked down (esp if best before date is current date)

I once got a Sainsbury's Be Good To Yourself ready meal for 9p !!

Teacher2

Do NOT under any circumstances take out a payday load as someone suggested. That's just asking for trouble and will make things infinitely worse.

There has been a lot of good advice on this thread already and I would support those who say alert your family to your problem and see if they can help you eat for a start. Also, recruit any friends you can to support you in your difficulties. I don't necessarily mean friends and relatives can help with loans or gifts of money (though they might) but with morale boosting support, goodwill and suggestions. You should do a SOA as quickly as you can and post it here to get suggestions from others as to savings and income ideas.

Some really cheap food options until you get back on track:-
-own brand biscuits. I have two Digestives for breakfast and my pensioner mum has three
-own brand cereals
-bananas are 12p each and nutritious (cheaper than apples)
-pasta (potatoes are very expensive at the moment)
-tinned own brand vegetables like baked beans and sweetcorn
-milk is £1 for 4 pints
-value eggs (until you can afford the free range ones)
-tea is cheaper than coffee
-water is free

Also, use markets for fruit and veg and go to supermarkets when they are knocking down 'best by' goods with yellow stickers.

Good luck.

sourcrates

I wasn't suggesting the OP take a Hugh PDL out, just enough to buy food for the next two weeks.
Without knowing more about the OP's circumstances, it was a an option to allow the OP to eat, sometimes we have to work with very little information, so all you can do is list options, it's up to the poster to decide which advice to take, or not.
I would not normally advise this course of action.

TakeAwayKing_2

Where is op?